Absolute Genius, He knew he couldn't do a monologue about it so he did a monologue about how he couldn't do a monologue about it. Craig, never stop doing what you do best... making me piss my pants.
I think it was more like he didn't want to do a monologue about it, but he didn't want to pretend whatever the hell it was (because frankly I don't care) had never happened, so he did what he does best and was just honest about it in a funny way without actually saying anything mean. At the end of the day I think it's more about being able to look the guy in the eye next time they see each other than about any real fear of getting fired.
"I guess by now you figured all out how I got the job" This opening alone is legendary xD He adresses it by taking himself into the joke ... awesome guy ...
This is the first episode ever that I saw Craig...my TV was on accidentally since Letterman's show had ended for the day (whom I don't really watch, but for that scandal, I did) and suddenly Craig's opening begins, and it makes me laugh so bad that I haven't stopped watching his show since! Love you Craig!
I was just thinking about this monologue tonight, and I know so much of it by heart, that's how many times I've seen it.:) ...So of course, I had to watch it again.
Seriously this guy is a class act, one gets the feeling that even at his most hilarious he is being genuine with the audience, and this deft handling of the situation highlights that. Plus he is fricken hilarious!
Craig Ferguson has one of the most brilliant minds in comedy, as in many other areas also. He is a gifted author and is just naturally FUNNY. I miss him so much.Now with Letterman leaving, late night TV is going to look like a vast wasteland.
Julia S and it does. A wasteland indeed. I like Colbert and Kimmel but it's not the same. Craig was just exceptionally gifted at this format. Like his late night stuff is way better even than his standup. He was amazing.
@Koryo8 re: the Letterman situation. Letterman had a relationship with one of his staff members (before he was married incidentally) and her next boyfriend tried to blackmail him over it. Letterman actually owned up to it on his show. Hope that helps.
He had his own show though, The Ferguson Theory. And he was also in that controversial Australian play. But I've been attempting to track down an episode of Have I Got News For You that he was in. It's S2E07, and has broadcaster Trevor McDonald in it, but this episode is not available in the BBC's online archives.
But consider that Craig's show is purely unscripted. His interviews touch real areas of depth in addition to being hilarious; Letterman, in my opinion, is pretty basic. He's not bad, I just personally don't like him. And I'm bias in saying that I think Craig is on a different level than Letterman: he isn't run of the mill, or anything like that.
I remember craig when he started out on British tv.. he was one of my favourites... articulate, intelligent, funny, angry.. but it was all natural... id listen to that younger version of craig anyday over the safe version he has become...Fair play to him for becoming so successful and prob more so in the future, but at too big a price for me...
oh it was when he was starting out and getting a name for himself, not his own show, but he was guest comedian or interviewee on a lot of british tv back in the day.. and he was geat.. very edgy but very funny too.. and he did some documentaries for channel 4 too but no idea what the names of these were.. they were like travel documentaries but he would put himself right in the heart of something and document it..
@oYoYebutu re: "stay with hosting". If you had read either of his books, you would realize that Craig is pretty damn good at whatever he does. Being the BEST talk show host since Johnny is the smallest part of his talents. Although I love his show and his stand up, I REALLY need him to write the sequel for Between the Bridge and the River.
Smashing. It´s like when Hitchkock made that ticking bomb. Or maybe he just said it. You hear a ticking bomb, but you never hear it explode. That´s more scaring then actually se it.
"If I inadvertently say something that gets me fired, then I hope it was funny" We need more comedians with this mentality right now. Everyone is so sanitized to the point where it isn't comedy anymore. It's just an unending string of dad jokes.
Simply brilliant.. joke about your boss in a coy position and imply that you could be fired for saying that. so that you can't actually get fired as the audience is already by your side!
Letterman 30 years, 1993 throughout 2015 Ferguson, 2005 throughout 2014 Leno 1992 throughout 2010 and 2011 throughout 2014 Kimmel 2003 throughout current day
Yeah, I kind of got that impression, actually. He never seemed like he enjoyed his job except during the Tonight Show debacle. I like him, but I never enjoyed watching his show all that much. A bit more than when I was younger, but still never tuned in intentionally.
He doesn't make jokes about letterman he actually backs him up and makes it hilarias - 1) Holding night light talk shows to moral accountability 2) He wants his entertainers to be 'dangerous'. Hes helping his boss the dirty bugger!
There's lots that Ferguson does well. He does have comedic talent, moderate amounts of it. He's also a decent interviewer, especially with female celebrities. Much better and less awkward than David Letterman in that area. He's not a bad late night host. I just get tired of his self-absorbed and emotionally wrought diatribes that pass for his monologues from time to time. He can also get way too impressed and amused with himself which comes across in his camera mugging.
"if there's moral accountability for talk show hosts, i'd be out" at first, i was confused. he's disobeying orders to slander a friend, and calling himself immoral. now i get it watching it twice, he did some bad things in the past. meh, still, what a good man.
Craig is better at flirting and comedy, but the spectrum David Letterman covers is ineffable! Be it from comedy, flirt, politics, deep double meaning statements and actually ripping off people when needed! Lets not compare them. I hope Dave Letterman lives for ever and we can always watch him! Dave the Pioneer!! Though its very true only person who can step into Dave's shoe is Craig! Love them both!
@npagano05 The series was Dirt Detective (RUclips). You have to watch them twice; the first viewing you'll spend too much time watching him run his fingers through the most beautiful head of hair. (Ignore the "TheFred", I'm female and love his hair! And other parts.) Enjoy! PS. Scotland is fascinating as well!!
@Lordgeek4 I think it has something to do with the way that certain conservatives do NOT understand that everyone has a right to their own view, and its part of the cycle. Both sides have people who need to calm down and stop spouting their own crud long enough to understand that other people don't think the same way.
I sometimes wonder about the sound of the studio laughing. I mean, this monologue was pretty funny, but there was like, one or two women in the audience who sounded to be splitting their sides laughing so hard at this. I can't imagine who would be in tears over this monologue. Sure, it was funny... but not side splitting. I suspect Craig's people are using "canned heat" to sweeten the audience.
@milton2milton Yeah but they said the same thing about Conan and look how that worked out. Of course Craig's much better than Conan, but moving to the 11:30 isn't guaranteed to work.
@celebtrvl I agree. Jimmy Fallon....it's like he tries to hard. He laughs really hard at every sentence that his guests say...it's like c'mon Jimmy. Oh and his jokes aren't funny.
@mlke Yeah, he was a heavy drinker long time ago. So he makes fun of the people who really make a bib thing on Letterman's case. Were they angels themselves? Ok, Letterman made a mistake, but he isn't a murderer or a rapist!
@guy2008rules yeah right, u ppl need 2 stop saying all this unprecedentes bs about who's king of late night or whatever. Dave and Carson were best friends, if Carson had had it his way the TS would be Dave's would be nobody else's. Craig is COMPLETLEY different from Carson. Just some sketches have similar humor, but I do not imagine Carson next 2 a bisexual wisecracking robot. Craig's TS would suck, hthough it'd be better than leno's obviously. every late night host is different, stop comparing!
See, I don't think it's self-deprecating irony. He only pretends to be that way. I do find him smug and backhandedly self-promoting. He plays the "aw, shucks" card way too hard and his "special" monologues remind me of the old "special" epsiodes sitcoms used to have in their ham-handed preachiness. I don't care so much about his family, alcoholism, etc. I actually like Fallon and Kimmel a lot better. They're not perfect but they have a far lighter touch and take themselves far less seriously.
lol, what a load of shit. The man was brilliant and completely flipped the formula of late night television to something unique, niche and entertaining. He literally did what no other late night entertainer has ever done by following the traditional formula for late night TV and screwing with it.
Craig walking slowly and awkwardly to the camera and his facial expressions and pauses were perfect
Absolute Genius, He knew he couldn't do a monologue about it so he did a monologue about how he couldn't do a monologue about it.
Craig, never stop doing what you do best... making me piss my pants.
I think it was more like he didn't want to do a monologue about it, but he didn't want to pretend whatever the hell it was (because frankly I don't care) had never happened, so he did what he does best and was just honest about it in a funny way without actually saying anything mean. At the end of the day I think it's more about being able to look the guy in the eye next time they see each other than about any real fear of getting fired.
I still think this is one of the funniest late-night monologues I've ever seen. He milked every possible laugh out of a very touchy situation.
"I guess by now you figured all out how I got the job"
This opening alone is legendary xD
He adresses it by taking himself into the joke ... awesome guy ...
What
Brilliantly done. Craig is great and I miss his show.
he doesn't have a show anymore?? what?
no he left the show a year and a half ago
This is the first episode ever that I saw Craig...my TV was on accidentally since Letterman's show had ended for the day (whom I don't really watch, but for that scandal, I did) and suddenly Craig's opening begins, and it makes me laugh so bad that I haven't stopped watching his show since! Love you Craig!
ferguson keeps my attention with no sidekick, no band, hardly any skits, just his natural humor and interviews.
Geoff peterson would like a word
@@micahclawrence but Geoff was one of the ways Ferguson and his writers subverted the genre…
I was just thinking about this monologue tonight, and I know so much of it by heart, that's how many times I've seen it.:)
...So of course, I had to watch it again.
The impression he does of Letterman is priceless. His whole mien while delivering his monologue, everything.
Seriously this guy is a class act, one gets the feeling that even at his most hilarious he is being genuine with the audience, and this deft handling of the situation highlights that. Plus he is fricken hilarious!
Brilliantly done.
That last line pretty much sums up Craig's approach to his job, doesn't it?
Of the 4 late night hosts at the time. Craig was the 1 i didn't wanna miss.
Craig Ferguson has one of the most brilliant minds in comedy, as in many other areas also. He is a gifted author and is just naturally FUNNY. I miss him so much.Now with Letterman leaving, late night TV is going to look like a vast wasteland.
Julia S and it does. A wasteland indeed. I like Colbert and Kimmel but it's not the same.
Craig was just exceptionally gifted at this format. Like his late night stuff is way better even than his standup. He was amazing.
nopp
It's true, craig is great
We have conan
The only guy on the world that can make people laugh like crazy without saying anything =)
love him
@Koryo8 re: the Letterman situation. Letterman had a relationship with one of his staff members (before he was married incidentally) and her next boyfriend tried to blackmail him over it. Letterman actually owned up to it on his show. Hope that helps.
The impression he does of Letterman at the beginning is priceless.
If I inadvertently say something which gets me fired....then I hope it's funny.
Hysterical, Craig Ferguson is the best!
His book was awesome. Plain and simple.
Craig is on another level. Him calling Dave the king of late night is modesty at it's best
Why does this particular clip never get old? XD
My job is to take the number one... news story of the day and have a bit of fun about it.
Very subtle. Well played.
Masterful, utterly masterful
That's because you find him and his overwrought confessionals and camera mugging far more adorable than I do.
LOL! perfect way to end it. He handled the awkwardness well, as always.
I'm so glad I'm of Scotch/Irish descent with this humor. Otherwise, I'd be offended, saying I want to be British!
He had his own show though, The Ferguson Theory. And he was also in that controversial Australian play. But I've been attempting to track down an episode of Have I Got News For You that he was in. It's S2E07, and has broadcaster Trevor McDonald in it, but this episode is not available in the BBC's online archives.
MISS YOU SOOOOOOO MUCH THE BEST LATE NIGHT EVER CRACKS ME UP ........ALWAYS
Things like this is why Craig is the best on late night
But consider that Craig's show is purely unscripted. His interviews touch real areas of depth in addition to being hilarious; Letterman, in my opinion, is pretty basic. He's not bad, I just personally don't like him. And I'm bias in saying that I think Craig is on a different level than Letterman: he isn't run of the mill, or anything like that.
I miss him so much
This will become a classic piece of late-night monologue writing. Same for Letterman's confession.
Craig has totally put into words my own feelings on this - who in the world expects TV personalities to have a high moral standard?
Soo funny - I love how so many of you people are finding him funny only now. So many of us have watched him since he started.
Craig should get his own show,earlier in the evening
I remember craig when he started out on British tv.. he was one of my favourites... articulate, intelligent, funny, angry.. but it was all natural... id listen to that younger version of craig anyday over the safe version he has become...Fair play to him for becoming so successful and prob more so in the future, but at too big a price for me...
so bloody brilliant.
He's the best talk show host. No seriously. His accent beats the others by itself. lol
how he handled it, brilliant
oh it was when he was starting out and getting a name for himself, not his own show, but he was guest comedian or interviewee on a lot of british tv back in the day.. and he was geat.. very edgy but very funny too.. and he did some documentaries for channel 4 too but no idea what the names of these were.. they were like travel documentaries but he would put himself right in the heart of something and document it..
I've read "American on Purpose". It's a good read.
@IncredibleGoliath Craig's delivery is always so perfect... doesn't matter much what words he's actually saying ;)
I've read the book. It's really great man
Can someone explain to me the background of that?
❤ AWKWARD....
@oYoYebutu re: "stay with hosting". If you had read either of his books, you would realize that Craig is pretty damn good at whatever he does. Being the BEST talk show host since Johnny is the smallest part of his talents. Although I love his show and his stand up, I REALLY need him to write the sequel for Between the Bridge and the River.
wheres the full episode clips?
Smashing. It´s like when Hitchkock made that ticking bomb. Or maybe he just said it.
You hear a ticking bomb, but you never hear it explode. That´s more scaring then actually se it.
"If I inadvertently say something that gets me fired, then I hope it was funny"
We need more comedians with this mentality right now. Everyone is so sanitized to the point where it isn't comedy anymore. It's just an unending string of dad jokes.
Simply brilliant.. joke about your boss in a coy position and imply that you could be fired for saying that. so that you can't actually get fired as the audience is already by your side!
he competed with him the last couple of years
although craig is way better
Way to go Craig!
This was brilliant, Ill bet it even cheered Dave up
Letterman 30 years, 1993 throughout 2015
Ferguson, 2005 throughout 2014
Leno 1992 throughout 2010 and 2011 throughout 2014
Kimmel 2003 throughout current day
Logos, Films, TV Series, Video Games Man
So, ummm what's your point?
That no matter how useless your information, you can post it on the internet.
Seriously have no idea what the purpose of this comment is, either.
Craig Ferguson is the funniest man in America!
With Letterman phoning in every show and not looking like he wants to be there, he should hand the show over to Ferguson already
Yeah, I kind of got that impression, actually. He never seemed like he enjoyed his job except during the Tonight Show debacle. I like him, but I never enjoyed watching his show all that much. A bit more than when I was younger, but still never tuned in intentionally.
He doesn't make jokes about letterman he actually backs him up and makes it hilarias - 1) Holding night light talk shows to moral accountability 2) He wants his entertainers to be 'dangerous'. Hes helping his boss the dirty bugger!
lolMegxxx and he is shamelessly promoting his own book at the same time :)
I agree with you, bonthefarm...... this guy doesn't even havt to open his mouth and I crack up!!!
There's lots that Ferguson does well. He does have comedic talent, moderate amounts of it. He's also a decent interviewer, especially with female celebrities. Much better and less awkward than David Letterman in that area. He's not a bad late night host. I just get tired of his self-absorbed and emotionally wrought diatribes that pass for his monologues from time to time. He can also get way too impressed and amused with himself which comes across in his camera mugging.
Seriously, Dave would never fire Craig for something like that. Or can some one else fire him?
"if there's moral accountability for talk show hosts, i'd be out"
at first, i was confused. he's disobeying orders to slander a friend, and calling himself immoral. now i get it watching it twice, he did some bad things in the past. meh, still, what a good man.
Craig is better at flirting and comedy, but the spectrum David Letterman covers is ineffable! Be it from comedy, flirt, politics, deep double meaning statements and actually ripping off people when needed!
Lets not compare them. I hope Dave Letterman lives for ever and we can always watch him! Dave the Pioneer!! Though its very true only person who can step into Dave's shoe is Craig!
Love them both!
Idiot
i wrote them in the book!!!!
Craig is one of coolest guys in the world. :-D
Craig is the fucking MAN!
He said that in his tenure, he only considered Letterman and Moonves his bosses. And both turned out to have scandals, didn't they?
HAHAHAH but it was 36 seconds! Deal with it!
@npagano05 The series was Dirt Detective (RUclips). You have to watch them twice; the first viewing you'll spend too much time watching him run his fingers through the most beautiful head of hair. (Ignore the "TheFred", I'm female and love his hair! And other parts.) Enjoy! PS. Scotland is fascinating as well!!
How is Fallon really going to compete with this?
Everybody has books…and I’m gonna buy a lot myself. Even after taking my book, you’ve been outclassed, outmanoeuvred, outdone and outfucked!
"Its A Joke!!"
This show was before he got Goeff
I would like to see Anthony Bourdain on Craig's show. Seems like they would get along.
This guy is the funniest late nite host since Johnny Carson.
@oliasdoug mmmmm not really but i find it more appropiate
I SAW YOU LIVE AT RVER CREE WANTED TO RUSH THE STAGE BUT THERE WAS NONE HA HA
craigs the man
@Lordgeek4
I think it has something to do with the way that certain conservatives do NOT understand that everyone has a right to their own view, and its part of the cycle. Both sides have people who need to calm down and stop spouting their own crud long enough to understand that other people don't think the same way.
Hilarious!
Craig Ferguson>>>>>>>>>>>>>>David Letterman
I sometimes wonder about the sound of the studio laughing. I mean, this monologue was pretty funny, but there was like, one or two women in the audience who sounded to be splitting their sides laughing so hard at this. I can't imagine who would be in tears over this monologue. Sure, it was funny... but not side splitting. I suspect Craig's people are using "canned heat" to sweeten the audience.
@milton2milton Yeah but they said the same thing about Conan and look how that worked out. Of course Craig's much better than Conan, but moving to the 11:30 isn't guaranteed to work.
Craig for late night King!
@bena511 michael richard (cramer)
No if you want canned heat watch a professional wrestling show called impact
@celebtrvl I agree. Jimmy Fallon....it's like he tries to hard. He laughs really hard at every sentence that his guests say...it's like c'mon Jimmy. Oh and his jokes aren't funny.
@mlke
Yeah, he was a heavy drinker long time ago. So he makes fun of the people who really make a bib thing on Letterman's case. Were they angels themselves? Ok, Letterman made a mistake, but he isn't a murderer or a rapist!
What is it that happened to Letterman that is so embarrassing?
Ferguson is funniest when talking off the top of his head, as it were. Would have been fun to hear the jokes he's trying so hard to NOT say....
funny!
@guy2008rules yeah right, u ppl need 2 stop saying all this unprecedentes bs about who's king of late night or whatever. Dave and Carson were best friends, if Carson had had it his way the TS would be Dave's would be nobody else's. Craig is COMPLETLEY different from Carson. Just some sketches have similar humor, but I do not imagine Carson next 2 a bisexual wisecracking robot. Craig's TS would suck, hthough it'd be better than leno's obviously. every late night host is different, stop comparing!
Plus, Letterman makes people talk but Ferguson does all the talking!
Craig is very funny and his book was excellent. Jimmy Fallon is not very funny to me.
hypocrites are hypocrites regardless of their profession
no :DDDDD
Dirt Dectective.
The ad croissant holly stain because laundry jointly rinse above a grateful gratis russia. painful, zealous patio
See, I don't think it's self-deprecating irony. He only pretends to be that way. I do find him smug and backhandedly self-promoting. He plays the "aw, shucks" card way too hard and his "special" monologues remind me of the old "special" epsiodes sitcoms used to have in their ham-handed preachiness. I don't care so much about his family, alcoholism, etc. I actually like Fallon and Kimmel a lot better. They're not perfect but they have a far lighter touch and take themselves far less seriously.
couldnt agree more...i dont find craig as smart as dave is..craig needs to learn a lot b4 he takes over a genius like dave
lol, what a load of shit. The man was brilliant and completely flipped the formula of late night television to something unique, niche and entertaining. He literally did what no other late night entertainer has ever done by following the traditional formula for late night TV and screwing with it.